D-Chemistry Page: Impact on Environment

Loss of landscape

Due to the size of the chemical plant needed, and in the production and transport of the electricity, much land land has been used up to build the factories and roads. In the process of using the land, deforestation occurs which can lead to global warming. Also, many animal habitats will be destroyed which may lead to the loss of animal species.

Noise

Noise pollution will occur from the use of machines such as cranes and tractors during the building of the plants and by the factories during the process of extraction. Many animals which have their habitats nearby may have their communication, especially in relation to reproduction and in navigation, interrupted by this noise. If they are exposed to the noise too often, they may even lose their hearing.

Atmospheric pollution

Atmospheric pollution may occur from the various stages of extraction. Some examples:

-Carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas is produced from the burning of the anodes.

-Carbon monoxide which is poisonous.

-Fluorine (and fluorine compounds) which is lost from the cryolite during the electrolysis process is also poisonous.

These gases will lead to a negative impact on climate change which contributes to global warming, causing the temperature to increase, and leading to the melting of icebergs, causing natural disasters such as floods.

Using up natural resources

To produce the electricity needed for the chemical plants, fossil fuels are used as they are energy sources. However, fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are non-renewable resources. They take millions of years to be formed in the crust of the earth by natural processes. Once burned to produce electricity, they are gone forever.

Water pollution

Red mud, a result of the extraction, cannot be disposed of easily. Hence, it is usually pumped into holding ponds as red mud takes up land area and can neither be built on nor farmed, even when dry. Due to the Bayer process, the mud is a strong alkali with a pH ranging from 10 to 13. If accidents happen and the red mud leaks into rivers, animals and plants will not be able to survive in the extreme alkali conditions and die.